Page 117 of Dark Destiny: The Turning Of The Loom

The hall erupted in clapping and cheering, then quieted as the music changed, indicating that the ceremony was about to begin.

Kian walked beside him on his right, and Esag was on his left. Behind them came the four guards, Orion, Dalhu, David, Kalugal, and Lokan.

The aisle ran between the tables the length of the hall, about three hundred paces, and his legs carried him forward in measured steps, just as he had practiced.

He did not look at the faces on either side as he passed them by.

He looked at the dais, at Toven, and at the place under the canopy where his mate would stand.

Three steps up. He took them carefully.

Kian and Esag stopped at the foot of the dais, one on either side, and the guards and the rest filled in behind them in a line.

Khiann turned under the canopy and faced the doors.

The music changed.

He had heard the piece before, in one of the films he had watched with Annani on the far vision, and she had told him it would play at their wedding. It was a traditional melody, but even though many chose different types of music to accompany their walk down the aisle, she was fond of the original and decided it would be the one playing as she entered the hall and joined him at the altar.

He had accepted her decision, as he had accepted all the others, because he had no reason to object.

The same few notes played over and over, and the great hall held its breath.

When the doors opened again, Allegra and Evie came through first, wearing matching white dresses and carrying baskets of rose petals looped over their arms, while Una, one of Alena’s daughters, walked bent double behind them, a hand on each small back. Allegra threw petals in great two-fisted handfuls aimed at whoever was nearest, so the first three tables received most of her basket. Evie held one petal in her fist for the entire length of the aisle and did not let go until she reached the dais, where she looked up at Khiann, considered him gravely, and placed it on his shoe.

Una scooped them both up before either could climb the steps, then carried them to where Okidu was waiting with his arms out.

Then the music changed, and the bridesmaids came through the doors. Alena wore a pale gold gown, Sari in green, Amanda in blue, and Syssi in violet. Wonder wore a red gown, and Ronja a pink one. They walked the long aisle with the same measured step, each taking her place on the far side of the dais, across from the men.

Then Annani entered.

Areana was on her left and Morelle on her right, one in light blue and one in silver, and between them, a full head shorter than either, in a resplendent ivory wedding gown, was Annani.

The gown fit close at the waist, and a length of fabric trailed behind her. The tiara in her hair was white gold, encrusted with diamonds, and it threw light as if it had a power source of its own, not just reflecting light from the chandeliers.

The veil did not cover her face. It fell from the back of the tiara and streamed behind her, longer than the dress, so she seemed to be walking out of a cloud. Her hair was up, and her face was free of artificial embellishments because she did not need any.

She was the most beautiful woman in the world, and he did not need to see all of them to know it for a fact.

Her gaze met his, and a smile bloomed on her face.

He put his hand over his heart.

"Sa-mu," he mouthed, and given how much brighter her smile became, she knew what he had said.

Annani came down the aisle between her sisters at a measured pace that matched the slow beat of the music playing through the loudspeakers, and every head turned as she passed, a wave moving down the hall.

Areana and Morelle stopped at the foot of the dais and went to stand with the bridesmaids.

Khiann came down and took Annani's hand.

He had planned to stand under the canopy and let her come to him, because that was how they had agreed to do it, but there were three steps and a great deal of fabric, and he was not going to stand at the top and watch his mate manage them alone.

Her fingers closed around his, small, warm, and very strong, and he turned and brought her up the steps beside him, with the veil trailing behind her.

They stood together under the canopy and faced Toven.

Three weeks ago, Khiann could not cross a patio without a crutch, and now he was standing on a dais in front of the whole of his mate's people with her hand in his and nothing holding him up but his own legs.